Goodnight, Goodbye
by Light Within Darkness
Summary: Sora and Riku reflect on their relationship with each other through thoughts. Rated for language. KH spoilers, implied Soriku.


**Goodnight, Goodbye**

**By: YukaiChick**

**Author's Note:**** This is my first ever one-shot. I did my best to make it compliant with the first "Kingdom Hearts" video game, and there's lots of implied Soriku yaoi for you guys to feast upon. Nomnomnom... ^_^**

**WARNINGS: Language, and that's about it.**

**DEDICATION: For **Krystal**. She'll understand why, someday.**

**DISCLAIMER:****I do not own "Kingdom Hearts," "Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories," or "Kingdom Hearts II." I make no money from the writing of this FanFic-it's purely for entertainment value. Everything belongs to Tetsuya Nomura-san, Square Enix, and Disney, Inc.**

**Please leave a review when you are finished. I would like that very, very much.**

Sora leaned against the balcony outside the upper floor of Cid's Accessory Shop in Traverse Town. He blew a strand of spiky brown hair out of his cerulean blue eyes and kicked at the cobblestones with one big yellow shoe. Twirling his silver and gold Keyblade around in his gloved hands, he wondered for the millionth time that night

(why'd you do it)

where Riku was, and if he was safe. Was he still being held captive in Ansem's body? Had he managed to break free? Was he working with the Heartless again, or being held prisoner by them in Hollow Bastion?

(please don't be dead Riku don't die I need you)

Sora bit his lip and angrily whacked at the ground with the Keyblade, making a high-pitched scraping noise. "Dammit!" He yelled, a few tears falling from those endless blue eyes.

Sora thought back to when he and Riku had been kids, spending every waking minute with each other and playing innocently on Destiny Islands. His days had been filled with Riku and he had occupied his nights with thinking about his next day with Riku. When they were little the two had spent all their time in the Secret Place, scribbling on the walls and making up stories about the mysterious door in there, fighting off imaginary monsters because they didn't know about the real ones. Riku had always been obsessed with that door-Sora had caught him staring at it several times when he met Riku in the Secret Place in the mornings, his face glazed over.

(did you know there was darkness beyond the door)

As the two had grown older, everything had become a contest between them. Who could run the fastest, who could fight the hardest, who could swim the farthest. Sometimes the other islanders would join in, but usually it was just Sora and Riku. And Riku always won. Sora remembered struggling to carry just one heavy bucket of water, while Riku could carry two logs and a bucket of water easily. During races around the Islands Sora would arrive at the Paopu Tree goal sweaty and out of breath, but Riku would already be there, smirking, hair casually blowing around his face, looking like a model.

But sword fighting was the worst. Sora never won unless Riku let him. Ever. The boy was simply too quick, dancing and dodging and laughing around the younger boy until his arms and legs were all tangled up and his hair flopped into his eyes with sweat. And

(aw man I guess the score's 4 to 0 now)

Riku could always easily jar the toy sword out of Sora's hands, eyes laughing, always victorious. Sora envied the older boy's muscle, his strength, his speed, that all made him so popular on the Islands.

But he wished that they hadn't made that raft and tried to get off Destiny Islands. Then he and Riku might be lying on the white sand beach tonight, all worn out from a race or a play fight, watching the stars twinkle above the ocean. They wouldn't be apart from each other and miserable. Sora wished he didn't have to go up against monsters with no hearts and save the world. When he'd yearned for adventure, he'd never wanted such a big responsibility.

(you wanted to leave Riku)

He remembered the night Kairi had arrived on the Islands, how excited Riku had been. Finally, he knew for certain that there were places beyond their home, places they could go to. His ice blue eyes had been almost electric in their intensity, and he'd started planning their exodus right away, talking about what clothes to wear and what food to bring, and quizzing Kairi on her world that she didn't even remember. And Sora had just thought it was a game. He'd been happy that Riku was happy, excited that his friend was such a whirlwind of passion. He never thought they'd actually leave. He loved Destiny Islands.

(but did you ever want to come back)

Then there was that awful night when darkness had overtaken Destiny Islands. The sky had been darker than any stormy night, and the winds had been fierce. Kairi had become a lifeless shell, flying straight through him when he'd tried to catch her in the Secret Place. Riku's eyes had burned a frightening blue that night, almost catlike. He'd reached out to Sora, had tried to take Sora with him, and Sora had tried to grab his hand

(a little farther just a little bit more and I can touch him)

but he'd failed, and Riku had been swept into the darkness that would creep into his heart and consume him, while Sora was left to battle creatures from a madman's dream before being swept in himself.

(I was so scared Riku were you afraid too even just a little)

Sora remembered encountering Riku again in Traverse Town. He'd been so happy to see him, so happy that Riku wasn't a dream like the visions of Kairi that had been plaguing him throughout his travels with Donald and Goofy. He'd felt so guilty, letting her fall into trouble like that. After all, she was his friend too, like Riku. But Riku had been angry that night

(were you jealous)

when he saw the Keyblade, and had run off again.

(don't go Riku)

So Sora had put on a happy face for Donald and Goofy, and they'd continued their journey.

Then Sora had seen Riku inside Monstro the whale. He remembered chasing the silver-haired boy through the whale's body, trying to grab the puppet in his arms.

(why are you doing this Riku)

Then Riku had tortured poor Geppetto with Pinocchio, put them all in danger using a giant Heartless, and left again, leaving Sora confused and worried.

(you can't be Riku he would never do such things)

Deep down, he knew it was Riku he'd seen inside the whale. But why would Riku torture an old man and a boy, then leave them all to fend off a poisonous Heartless?

Sora hadn't known what to think when he'd seen Riku again on Hook's pirate ship. He hadn't acted like Sora had ever been his friend. He'd sneered down at the Keyblade Master, his eyes chips of ice in his face. Sora remembered how scared he'd been when he'd learned that Riku had captured Donald and Goofy, then when he'd seen Kairi in Riku's grasp, slumped at his feet like a zombie, her eyes dull and half closed. Sora had nearly fainted with shock when Riku had locked him up with Donald and Goofy using a Heartless that looked like him.

(did you let them eat your heart)

Later, Sora had tried to talk with Riku, but he'd fazed straight through a door on the ship with Kairi and left Sora to fight his Heartless double. Sora fought coldly, with none of his usual passion or fire. He'd only had one thought in his mind.

(how could you just replace me like that with a Heartless)

A thought of betrayal. But destroying the doppelganger had been a waste; it had only bought Riku time. He'd gone to Hollow Bastion with Kairi, leaving Sora once again to clean up the mess he'd left behind-in the form of fighting off Captain Hook.

(this means war)

Then on Hollow Bastion, Sora had found out that Riku was the one who was supposed to wield the Keyblade. He'd taken Sora's weapon, and Donald and Goofy, and left Sora to die, with only his old wooden sword and the Beast he'd injured, who, like Sora, had come to save someone important from the darkness.

(do you really want me dead you betrayed me Riku)

Sora had traversed his way through the Heartless-infested castle, refusing to give up on either of his two friends. He'd crept past Heartless from behind rocks and from underwater, desperately hoping that they wouldn't see him. When they did spot Sora, he had to rely on his magic and the Beast's power to get past them. He'd been worried that he would fail, that at any moment a Heartless would tear his chest open and grab his heart, but he'd made it into the castle's underground chambers. And while Sora was racing through the dark canals, trying to find the right switch that would open the doors to the Great Hall upstairs,

(don't think about him don't think about him it'll only hurt if you think about him)

his thoughts were only on Riku, who had the Keyblade. His Keyblade.

Upstairs, Sora had faced off against his former best friend, who had again sneered at him, his eyes telling Sora he was worthless. But Sora knew he wouldn't fail, even without the Keyblade.

(my heart is strong because it has you in it)

He realized then that he had grown stronger during his journey. He was stronger than Riku, who still thought that strength only lay in weapons and physical prowess and raw power. He was ignorant of the different kinds of strength that Sora knew. The kinds that he'd relied on throughout his battles, and that he knew would be Riku's undoing. When Sora realized this, he knew he would win.

And Riku knew it too. Sora could see it in his eyes, now wide and disbelieving. He threw all his dark energy into one great attack, straight at Sora's heart.

(do you really want me gone so badly)

But Goofy had run in front of Sora and deflected the attack, and he and Donald had proclaimed their loyalty to him. So the Keyblade returned to its true wielder, and Riku attacked him.

The two attacked each other with a passion, spinning and whirling around in a dance both beautiful and deadly. Blade clashed against blade, and sparks flew everywhere. Muscles strained as each desperately tried to gain the upper hand over the other. The fight was silent, devoid of the usual laughing and childish insults the two had thrown at each other when play fighting. It was like two lions fighting for dominance. And Sora only had one thought in his head.

(I don't want to hurt you please don't make me hurt you)

But Sora noticed Riku had grown slow. His time away from the older boy had taught him much, and Sora saw openings he never would have noticed before. He whirled and struck with the Keyblade, feinting left and right to draw Riku's Soul Eater farther away from those openings and striking him until he had fallen. Riku ran before Sora could strike the finishing blow-not knowing that Sora never would have.

(are you gone now Riku)

Sora only cried a little for his friend as they went through the castle, because there were multitudes of Heartless that needed to be destroyed and a Beast that needed to be helped. And everyone knows that heroes don't cry anyway, right?

Deep inside the castle Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the Beast discovered Maleficent. Recognizing her condescending sneer and angry eyes from Riku's face, Sora realized Riku must have fallen under her sway, and attacked her with a passion, swearing to make her pay for corrupting his heart.

(you hurt Riku I'll kill you)

Severely weakened from the beating she'd just been dealt, Maleficent had fled farther into the castle. Sora found her with Riku in a hidden chamber near the center of the place.

(is it really you)

This time, Sora knew it wasn't Riku he saw in the room with Maleficent. He talked as if someone else was controlling his voice, in a deep, strangled tone. His eyes were even colder than the ice chips they'd been of late, and were devoid of any emotion save for pure evil and greed. Sora had been so shocked when not-Riku had produced a Keyblade that he'd nearly dropped his own. Then he'd unlocked Maleficent's heart and turned her into a gigantic black dragon that spat green flames. Then the stranger who wore that familiar face had again run off.

(where is Riku's heart)

The dragon Maleficent had been very hard to defeat. Several times Sora had been singed badly by her flames, and only a quick Curaga spell from Donald had saved him from falling to the ground in pain to be crushed by a taloned foot. But the trio managed it, slaying the dragon and leaving behind only Maleficent's tattered cloak.

Then not-Riku had appeared again, eyes blank and empty, mouth twisted in an evil sneer. Sora and his friends had followed him to the very heart of the castle, a hellish room where the Princesses of Heart were being held, looking as though they were asleep. But Sora knew that their souls were imprisoned in those glass chambers, and their rest was the opposite of peaceful.

(is this how your soul is like now)

Sora had found the man who couldn't be Riku with Kairi, who was lying as if dead on the floor in front of the heart-shaped entrance to the center of all worlds. Sora thought the man was lying when he told him that Kairi's heart was inside him-a theory that was quickly dispelled by the agonizing pain in Sora's chest as the stranger tried to release Kairi's heart from him.

(you sold yourself to him)

Sora then realized that Riku had sold his soul to the man called Ansem, once a wise ruler of a great world, but now was an evil thing lost to darkness. The man threw Donald and Goofy off the podium they were on and faced Sora alone. Sora, desperate to save his friend and the hearts within him, attacked the thing inside Riku's body with a fierce passion.

(if I free you)

Ansem was very powerful indeed. Only Sora's quick reflexes saved him, several times, from being on the receiving end of a bolt of dark energy, or from being impaled on the tip of the black Keyblade. But he wore Ansem down by stabbing at him with his Keyblade, running away again to recuperate, then attacking again. Sora struck the finishing blow when Ansem was exhausted and raised his Keyblade to block a second too slow. It was an even deadlier dance than before, like fighting a giant viper.

(can you find your light again)

It seemed like Ansem was gone, but the Keyhole wouldn't lock. And Sora knew what he had to do. He was scared, more scared than he'd ever been before in his life. But bravery is not the absence of fear, it is rather one's own ability to act despite being afraid. So before Donald or Goofy could stop him, Sora stabbed himself with the dark Keyblade to release Kairi's heart and complete the keyhole.

(RIKU!!)

Then Sora was falling through the darkness, lost and alone. He couldn't remember anything, no matter how hard he tried. He feared he'd be lost forever in that choking, suffocating blackness that swirled around him, filled with silver haired boys who smirked at him as he fell…

But Kairi had saved him, had called him back from the darkness with her own light. They all managed to escape from Hollow Bastion, where the Heartless were multiplying out of control and swarming all over the place, covering it in darkness.

Donald, Goofy, and Kairi told Sora that Ansem had appeared to them shortly after he'd vanished, and Riku had emerged from Ansem's body as a glowing, golden soul. His eyes had swept over them all, desperately committing them to memory so he could find them again, before he'd vanished, using the last of his strength to hold back Ansem.

(you saved us)

So with Kairi safely in Traverse Town, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were preparing to return to Hollow Bastion to defeat the Heartless, close the Keyhole, and rescue Riku. Sora could only hope that they weren't too late…

"Sora!"

Sora looked up, blue eyes wide, startled out of his musings by the harsh (and very loud) quacking voice of his friend Donald, who was now in front of him, looking at him with big, worried eyes.

"We're ready to go now, Sora," Donald continued. "The Gummi Ship's all full up, and Cid installed a new block on it so we can get in past the Heartless." He paused. "Are you OK?"

Sora smiled slightly and hefted his Keyblade up on his shoulders. "I'm fine," he said with a tiny smile. "C'mon, let's go!"

As Donald led the way back to the Gummi Ship, Sora paused for an instant to look up at the deep blue night sky of Traverse Town, filled with twinkling stars like so many diamonds. Somewhere, out there amongst those stars, was Sora's best friend. And Sora knew he'd see him again. "Riku…" he whispered to the sky.

(goodnight Riku)

"Until I see you again, Riku…goodnight."

* * *

The silver haired boy floated amidst the swirling, suffocating darkness that Sora had been trapped in only a day before. His hair floated around his face like a cloud, but other than that his body was still. Only his ice-blue eyes reflected his undying, stubborn determination not to give in, not to be swallowed up by the darkness and lost forever. Only his eyes showed that he was still alive.

(i won't die in here i will see sora again)

Riku had been reduced to a soul, floating in darkness. He'd used up all his strength holding Ansem back so he couldn't hurt his friends, and it hadn't even injured the man. He'd laughed and pulled Riku up in a chokehold.

"You forsake the darkness now, after embracing it for so long. Filthy hypocrite. And you could have been so strong too, you and me together, _boy_," he'd sneered, casting Riku's soul into this hellish blackness whilst his body lay behind, spread out on the floor of the castle in Hollow Bastion as if dead.

(i'm so sorry)

Riku thought back to when he and Sora had been kids, playing together on Destiny Islands. It had been just the two of them, together against the world, for as long as Riku could remember. But Riku had always felt out of place on the Islands, while everyone else had felt at home there. He'd felt as if he'd seen and explored everything the Islands had to offer when he was just a little kid. He wanted to leave, to see real worlds. He never felt at home on Destiny Islands, as if he really belonged there.

(did i ever really belong anywhere)

The only place on the Islands Riku really liked was the Secret Place, and that strange door in it. Riku had often looked at that door when he was waiting for Sora in the Secret Place in the mornings. He'd felt a strange pull towards it, as if there was something beyond that door.

(why did i ever want to leave those damn islands)

One day, when he and Sora were leaving the Secret Place after a day of playing inside it, when they were still little, he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye by that door. Whirling around, he saw a mysterious golden Keyhole right in the center of the door which had never been there before. Riku had stuck his hand inside and tried to open the door, but it still wouldn't budge. Riku had been forced to give it up, and when he'd returned to the place the next day, the Keyhole was gone.

(could you open it for me, sora)

Then Kairi had arrived on Destiny Islands that one fateful night, and Riku had been happier than he could ever remember being. Finally, he had living, breathing proof that there were other worlds out there! And he was going to them. He began spending all his time with Kairi, hoping someday her memory would return and she'd tell him about where she came from. But it seemed Kairi liked Sora better. The two began spending a lot of time together, and Riku even saw them once in the Secret Place drawing their heads on the wall, though they hadn't seen him and he never said anything about it.

(i miss you)

Riku became angry and jealous, afraid that he was losing Sora to Kairi. So he began working out more, becoming stronger and faster. Soon everything had become a competition between the two friends, and Riku always won. But the feeling of elation he got from seeing Sora admit defeat would quickly fade when he saw how happy the boy was, always playing and laughing on the Islands as if he hadn't a care in the world.

(you always followed your heart i wish i could too)

Riku only became more uncomfortable on his island home as he grew older. He became restless and worked out even more, desperate to become even stronger, to make up for the fact that he couldn't be like Sora. Finally, when he just couldn't take it anymore, Riku suggested that they build a raft to get off the accursed place once and for all. Sora had been certain that it was all a game, but Kairi was a little worried about the whole idea. It had taken a lot of convincing from Riku that they'd return someday to get her to go along with the idea.

(i never want to come back)

Then one evening, as the sun was setting, Riku saw Sora and Kairi sitting together on the pier jutting out over the ocean. He'd stayed behind while the two of them had run off so he could work on the raft some more. Riku couldn't help but listen in to their conversation.

He was so shocked, so hurt, by what they said. Kairi had been trying to get Sora to leave on the raft without him! And he'd thought she hadn't wanted to go…Sora refused, which released an ache in his gut that he hadn't even known was there. But when Kairi had left, telling Sora not to change, Riku had run off in a furious rage.

(you were supposed to be my friend how could you even talk about that)

Riku found himself in the Secret Place, where he began to yell, scream, and punch at the rock walls, not caring that he was scraping his knuckles. He finally stopped when he again saw something from the corner of his eye. Turning, Riku saw the door that had always been in the Secret Place…and the golden Keyhole had returned to its surface. Riku could only think

(i wish sora was with me now)

that he didn't care anymore, not about anything, so he reached out and touched the Keyhole.

But this time, the door opened, and darkness spewed out of it in black, purple, and dark blue bolts. It engulfed Destiny Islands, turning the place into the wind tossed, stormy hell Riku had always seen it as. And a little of the darkness found its way into Riku's heart.

So Riku ran outside, laughing at the darkness, at the world, at everything, over to his favorite paopu tree. As he climbed into it and settled onto the topmost branch, he thought of the day he'd given Sora a paopu fruit. It had taken him forever to find a good one, too, since the ripe ones were usually eaten by seagulls. Sora had hesitated when Riku had given it to him-not the response Riku wanted.

(don't you want to share it with me)

Riku stared down at the Heartless congregating on the Islands, daring them to come up and attack him. None of them did

(because i'm on top of the world tonight)

and eventually, Sora showed up. Riku didn't know where Kairi was, and he really didn't care either, but he wanted Sora to come with him. As the two were being engulfed by the darkness, Riku stretched out his hand to Sora

(please take it since you're afraid and I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE DARKNESS)

But Sora hadn't been able to take his hand, and Riku had fallen into the darkness. A strange sense of calm had overtaken him then, and he'd fallen forever, seeing nothing but Sora's worried face as he did. Eventually, though, he'd landed inside some sort of library in a really ancient castle, and there he'd met Maleficent.

Maleficent had promised Riku strength beyond his wildest dreams if he only helped her. She even found Kairi for him, now a lifeless shell since she'd lost her heart, floating in the darkness. Riku decided to give Kairi her heart back and then make her fall in love with him. That would destroy Sora.

(and you're mine not hers)

Riku grew so corrupted by the darkness that he didn't even recognize himself anymore. He trained day and night, both by himself and with Maleficent's cronies, determined to become stronger. He had a sword too, called Soul Eater, that Maleficent had found for him in the castle's old armory. But the worst thing was that he grew to hate Sora. He hated everything about his friend, how he'd been so cheerful and carefree when Riku wasn't, and how everyone loved him. Riku wanted to change that.

(i want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name)

Soon Riku was strong enough to go out on missions for Maleficent, helping to capture the Princesses of Heart Maleficent needed and getting Heartless to do her bidding. While on one of those missions in Traverse Town, he ran into Sora. But Sora wasn't lost and alone, crying and scared and needing Riku's help like he'd been expecting. Instead he had new friends with him, and the all-powerful Keyblade.

(i should have that not you since i'm stronger than you)

Riku became even more jealous, and Maleficent fed that jealousy. She showed him how Sora was doing every day until even his dreams were haunted by Sora's big blue eyes. When he wasn't training Riku sat in his room alone, surrounded by Heartless all gathered up by his chest near his aching heart, thinking of Sora.

(how could you leave me)

Riku ran into Sora again inside Monstro the whale, where Maleficent had wanted more Heartless. He was determined to make the boy miserable, so he stole the puppet Sora had been following and ran with it through the whale. Then he tortured the old man in the place by threatening to make the boy into firewood. But one look at Sora's determined face made Riku decide that he'd had enough of playing around.

(why do you always have to be such a goddamn hero)

So Riku tossed the thing into a poisonous Heartless and left, with only Sora's shocked and betrayed face as a souvenir.

Riku was travelling to the Heart of Darkness that Maleficent was preparing to enter on Captain Hook's boat when he saw Sora's Gummi Ship. He intercepted the ship and captured Sora's new friends. He also showed Sora that he had Kairi to make the boy lose his cool, and finally tossed him in the brig with his companions using the Sora Heartless he'd made in his spare time

(i don't need you anymore)

But Sora had broken out, of course, using that damn Keyblade. So Riku decided it would be best to leave. Making sure Sora knew he had Kairi, Riku left the ship and retreated to Hollow Bastion, sure that his Sora Heartless would delay the trio at least for awhile. Or Captain Hook would.

(i guess she's all you care about now)

Once they'd arrived at Hollow Bastion, Maleficent had told Riku what he'd been longing to hear-that he was the true Keyblade Master, not Sora. So Riku had waited for Sora, and when the boy had shown up, Riku had taken his weapon. His friends leaving him as well was unexpected, but worked out well for Riku. He was certain Sora would either give up and go home or else die trying to get to him.

(i don't care about you anymore)

But Riku hadn't been expecting Sora to ally himself with the Beast and challenge him to a fight with no weapon. Looking at his eyes, at the pure determination and fire he saw there, Riku knew Sora would win. It was inevitable. He knew the boy would tear his plans to bits.

(how could you betray me)

So Riku threw all his energy into an attack at Sora, hoping to destroy him and see his face lanced with pain and defeat. But then his friends raced to his side and the Keyblade returned to him

(even when you lost you won)

So Riku had pulled out Soul Eater and attacked the boy. They had danced their dance back from play fighting on Destiny Islands. But Sora's travels, it appeared, had served him well. He was faster and stronger. He moved out of the way and blocked moves that had struck him down previously, and struck back harder than ever. Riku was shocked. He worked in perfect sync with his weapon. And he won.

(how could you defeat ME)

So Riku ran away, ran through the castle and away from his humiliating defeat. He ran from Sora, from his heart, from the world. Then, in a back hall of the castle that had long been forgotten, he found Ansem.

(i'm afraid now, sora)

Riku had been scared of the cloaked man, but he'd relaxed a little when Ansem promised him power beyond anything Maleficent had if Riku joined him. Not caring about anything anymore, Riku acquiesced.

(it hurts sora)

But Ansem had taken Riku's body. He used Riku's power against him. He'd taken all of Riku's will, his strength, what made him _Riku_, and twisted it to his own ends. He'd forced Riku's body and power to do things Riku never wanted to do. He made Riku's face into expressions Riku never wanted to make. Riku didn't care that Ansem gave him a Keyblade. He wanted himself back.

(and i want sora back too)

But Riku was helpless to stop him. He tried to break free when he realized what Ansem wanted his body for-to open the door to Kingdom Hearts. But Ansem held him tight. So Riku was forced to watch, helpless, as his own hand unlocked the darkness in Maleficent's heart and turned into a giant dragon that spat green flame. While Sora was preoccupied with that, Ansem took Riku away to the chamber with the Princesses of Heart in it.

(please don't die i'll die instead)

Ansem tried to open the door with Riku's power, but it wouldn't open. His wrath was terrible to behold when he realized that Kairi's heart was missing, that it was inside Sora. Then he forced Riku to wait for Sora with a hideous smile on Riku's face.

(someone please forgive me)

Riku was overjoyed and terrified at the same time when he discovered Sora had defeated Maleficent for good. But he knew Sora would have to fight even stronger enemies ahead than Maleficent, and so his soul trembled. But Sora showed no fear when he chased Ansem to the heart of the castle, where the Princesses lay. In there, Riku was forced to watch, screaming silently, as Ansem tried to wrench Kairi's heart from Sora. He saw Sora's face contorted in pain, and he screamed louder. But no one could hear him.

(i'm sorry i don't want to hurt you)

But Sora was stronger than either of them had given him credit for. He was able to block Ansem and throw him off. But Riku was forced to watch again, soul in agony, as his body was forced into attacking Sora and nearly killed the boy. The dance was much wilder this time, and Donald and Goofy weren't there to help Sora. Riku was helpless as his power, combined with Ansem's, was hurled at the small boy, and as the dark Keyblade clashed with Sora's again and again.

(run run run)

But, miracle of miracles, Sora was able to wear Riku's body down. Riku had never been so happy to be exhausted. He relished at each straining muscle, drop of sweat, and panting breath. Finally, when Sora struck the final blow at just the right moment, Riku's silent scream of ecstasy mingled with the terrible, debilitating pain coursing through his body as Ansem shrieked in denial.

(he did it i knew he was stronger than me)

The last blow from Sora's Keyblade had managed to loosen Ansem's grip on Riku's soul. Riku floated, weak and tired, in the twilit netherworld bordering the darkness and the light with Ansem writhing in pain beside him. A big, goofy smile adorned his face, and he laughed like a maniac, because

(it's finally over)

he could go home now.

But Ansem had other plans. He grabbed Riku up and forced him inside his own body in order to further his own powers more. Riku was dragged back into Hollow Bastion, into that harsh world of light, to see through Ansem's darkened eyes.

Only Riku couldn't see Sora. He saw Sora's travelling companions, weapons drawn and ready to fight even though it was useless, and Kairi hiding behind them, eyes wide in fear. But where was Sora?

(oh no)

Then Riku saw him. Ansem was preoccupied with Donald and Goofy, so Riku had been able to steal some of his power to look into the world of darkness with. And there he saw Sora, the poor hero, floating, alone and lost, having pierced his own heart with the dark Keyblade in order to free Kairi.

(SORA)

With that last wordless scream came realization. Riku knew what he had to do. What had happened to Sora now was his fault. His friend was in trouble, and it was because he'd been the biggest idiot in the all the worlds. So Riku summoned up all the good memories he had of Sora. He remembered playing with Sora on the beach, drawing on the walls in the Secret Place, swimming in the lagoon, teaching Sora to fight. He remembered Sora's deep blue eyes, his spiky brown hair, his laugh, his smile. _Sora_.

(someday maybe i can tell you what you mean to me)

And with those memories came strength. Strength enough to pull his soul out of Ansem. Riku could only see a blur of colors, could hear only muffled sounds. But it was worth it. "Run! The Heartless are coming!" He shouted at Donald, Goofy, and Kairi, hoping they could hear him and would get out of there. Then Riku turned on Ansem and unleashed all his power in a great burst of light.

(and maybe you can tell me too)

Riku's strength was enough to hold Ansem back, enough so Donald, Goofy, Kairi, and Sora could get away. And that was enough. So it didn't matter that Ansem had overpowered him in the end, had reduced him to a soul and thrown him into the darkness to float here, alone. He knew Sora was safe, for he hadn't seen his soul amongst the ones lost for eternity that he'd encountered in here. He knew, with all his heart, that Sora had escaped. He was too strong to stay trapped in here.

(we can talk forever someday)

Riku grinned one last time. He'd get out of here, he knew he would. Then he'd atone for all his sins, and he'd see Sora again. That was all that mattered now.

That…and a nap.

Yawning, Riku closed his ice-blue eyes. There was no harm in sleeping for just a little bit. He'd wake up sooner or later, and then he'd get out of this hell. Just a little rest first.

(goodbye sora)

"Sora…" Riku murmured sleepily, just before he drifted off. "Until I see you again…which might be awhile, y'know…goodbye."

**Author's Note:**** This is several pages longer than I thought it would be...but still good, I think. Yeah. Still good.**

**Review, why don'cha? Tell me what you thought.**

**Much love from-**

**~YukaiChick~**


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